Floor stand of knockdown character



Dec. 20, 1966 R. E. PAIGE I FLOOR STAND OF KNOCKDOWN CHARACTER '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11. 1965 INVENTOR 16/6/9480 5. PAIGE a g i a 7 ATTORNEYS Dec. 20, 1966 R. E. PAIGE FLOOR STAND UP KNOCKDOWN CHARACTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1965 INVENTOR:

/6//4 p E. PA/Ge' EY i 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 20, 1966 R. E. PAIGE FLOOR STAND OF KNOCKDOWN CHARACTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 11, 1965 w. s m m V NM w H M zs United States Patent 3,292,796 FLOOR STAND 0F KNOCKDOWN CHARACTER Richard E. Paige, New York, N.Y., assignor to Paper Products Development Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 431,845 6 Claims. (Cl. -211133) This invention relates generally to knock-down structures made of cardboard or the like, and has particular reference to floor stands for holding merchandise.

The type of floor stand to which the invention is primarily directed is that which is commonly used in stores and supermarkets. It is formed of initially flat inexpensive foldable stock such as cardboard or paperboard, and the terms cardboard or foldable stock used herein and in the appended claims are intended to include within their scope any equivalent appropriate material of relatively inexpensive and readily foldable character.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a floor stand of improved strength and rigidity, composed of separably interconnected parts. Another object is to provide a construction in which the individual parts can be readily adjusted between a set-up condition and a flattened knocked-down condition, so that the parts may be readily shipped and stored, yet easily adjusted by the user into operative condition.

A particular objective of the invention is to provide a floor stand having the foregoing general characteristics and being of unusual attractive appearance, thus making it possible by appropriate advertising or embellishment to conceal the circumstances that the floor stand is composed of relatively inexpensive stock.

It is a characterizing feature of the invention to form the floor stand of interconnected and readily separable parts constituting a base, a column, and a bin for holding merchandise. The column is tubular, preferably of polygonal cross-section, usually square or rectangular. The base and bin are each composed of an initially flat element or blank provided in a special manner with fold lines that define a series of adjacent sections, the sections including pairs of triangular sections foldable to define two-ply pleats extending at right angles to a horizontal floor. Each of the parts of the floor stand is so constructed that it may be separately adjusted, without the aid of any special tools and without requiring unusual skill, between a collapsed shipping or storage condition and a set-up operative condition.

It is a feature of the invention to provide the column with slots at its opposite ends, extending parallel to the axis of the column, and to provide the pleats on the base and bin with complementary slots located to interengage with those in the column. The interengagement iigidifies the structure, and the column serves as a means for retaining both the base and bin in their proper set-up condition.

In one embodiment of the invention, the bin is so constructed that the pleats extend upwardly from the floor, thus forming separate merchandise compartments. The floor is in this case provided with an opening through which the upper end of the column extends, so that the desired interengagement between the column and the pleats may be achieved. Where the column is of poly onal cross-section, the opening in the floor of the bin is preferably of corresponding shape to allow the column end to pass snugly through it. Preferably, also, the upper edge of the column is contoured to define attenuations at the corners of the polygon, to facilitate the interengaging of the parts when the structure is to be set up.

In another embodiment of the invention, the pleats on the bin extend downwardly from the floor.

In each of the bins referred to, and also on the base,

3,292,795 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 the pleats are arranged to extend radially from a line coincident with the central axis of the column.

In one embodiment of the invention, the slots at the upper and lower ends of the column are located between each pair of adjacent corners of the column. In an alternative structure, creating an outer appearance that may be preferable under certain circumstances, the slots in the column are located at the corners of the polygon.

The blank or element of which the bin is composed is preferably formed with additional marginal panels adapted to define an upstanding peripheral wall on the fioor of the bin when the structure is in operative adjustment.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a floor stand embodying the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, and readily manufacturable in commercial quantities at relatively low cost.

Several ways of achieving these general objectives and advantages, and such other benefits as may hereinafter be pointed out, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a floor stand embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the three parts of which the floor-stand of FIG. 1 is composed;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the floor stand;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bin part of the floor stand of FIG. 1, shown in collapsed condition;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the base part of the floor stand of FIG. 1, shown in collapsed condition;

FIG. 8 is a view of the original blank of which the bin part shown in FIG. 6 is composed;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the blank of which the base part shown in FIG. 7 is composed;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the original blank of which the column part of FIG. 1 is composed;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a modified form of floor stand;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view substantially along the line 1212 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along the line 1313 of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view along the line 1414 of FIG. 12. n The floor stand shown in FIGS. 1-10 comprises an upper part 20 serving a merchandise-holding bin, a central column 21 and a base 22. The column 21 is tubular and is provided at its upper end with longitudinal slots 23 and at its lower end with longitudinal slots 24. In the embodiment illustrated, the column 21 is substantially square in cross-section, and the slots 23, 24 are arranged midway between the corner edges. This part of the structure is composed of an initially flat blank of the character shown in FIG. 10. Parallel longitudinal fold lines 25 divide the blank into panels 57 which will ultimately define the sides of the column, and an attachment panel 26 may be provided for adhesively holding the blank in tubular condition as indicated in FIG. 5. Where the column is to be used with a bin 20 of the character shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the blank is so contoured at its upper end that attenuations are formed at the upper ends of the folds or edges 25, as indicated at 27.

Each of the parts 20 and 22 consists in its set-up condition of a horizontal floor and a series of pleats extending at right angles from it, the pleats being arranged radially with respect to the axis of the column 21, and

3 the pleats being provided with slots so located that they interengage with the slots 23 and 24 in the column 21.

The bin part is formed of an initially flat element of foldable stock having the contours and fold lines shown in FIG. 8. The blank has a straight longitudinal edge 28, a pair of fold lines 29 and 30 parallel to this edge, a series of transverse fold lines 31 extending perpendicular to the edge 28, and diagonal fold lines 32 extending from the point of intersection of the lines 30 and 31. The edge of the blank opposite to the edge 28 is of zig-zag contour, the edge portions being successively parallel to the diagonal "fold lines 32. The result is that the blank provides a series of adjacent triangular sections 33, each of the triangles being an isosceles triangle, and their bases lying end to end along the fold line 30. These triangles will define the flood of the bin 20 when the device is fully set up. Other triangular sections 34 are also provided. These are arranged in .pairs between the triangles 33, each pair being foldable along one of the lines 31 to defined a two-ply pleat.

Each of the triangular sections 33, 34 is preferably a 45 isosceles triangle.

At the end of blank of FIG. 1 an attachment flap 35 is provided, for adhesive securement to the marginal part of the opposite end edge of the blank. An attachment flap 36 is also provided in the region between the edge 28 and the fold line 29.

Adjacent the zig-zag edge of the blank, a series of angular slots 37 is provided, as shown. These will define the downwardly extending slots 37, as shown in FIG. 2, when the bin part is set up.

During .the course of manufacture of the bin part 20, the blank of FIG. 8 is formed into a tubular condition by means of the attachment flaps 35 and 36, the blank is folded up along the line 30 and down along the line 29 (see FIG. 6) and the structure is then flattened as shown in FIG. 6. This is the condition of the bin when it is shipped or stored. When it is set up, the triangular sections 34 are adjusted, pair by pair, to form the radially disposed pleats shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this condition, the triangular sections 33 he in a common plane and define the floor of the bin structure, and the parts between the edge 28 and the fold lines 30 provide an upstanding peripheral wall.

The base 22 of the structure is of similar character, being formed of an initially flat blank as shown in FIG. 9. This blank has a straight longitudinal edge 38, an opposite zig-zag edge 39, parallel transverse fold lines 40, and diagonal fold lines 41, the arrangement being such that there are a series of adjacent triangular sections 42, each being an isosceles triangle and their bases lying end to end along the edge 38. These are the triangle that will define the floor of the base when it is set up. A second set of triangles 43 is also provided, these triangles being arranged in pairs and being adapted to fold together to form two-ply pleats extending at right angles to the floor, as best shown in FIG. 2. Each of the triangles 42 and 43 is, preferably a triangle.

Adjacent to the edge 39 of the blank is the series of angular slots 44 which define the upwardly facing slots shown in FIG. 2 when the base is set up.

An atachmen-t flap 45 is provided to permit the blank to be adhesively adjusted into a tubular structure, and this structure can then be flattenedas shown in FIG. 7 to provide a convenient article for storage or shipment. When the base is to be set up, the structure of FIG. 7 is opened up and the triangular sections 43 are adjusted, pair by pair, to define the flat floor and the upstanding slotted pleats, as shown in FIG. 2.

When the three parts of the structure are to be connected, they are brought together in the relationship shown in FIG. 2, whereby the slots 24 of the column 21 interengage with the slots 44 of the, base 22, and the slots 23 of the column 21 interengage with the slots 37 of the bin 20. To permit the latter interengagement of slots to take place, the floor of the bin 20 is provided with an opening corresponding in cross-section to that of the column 21, and the attenuated or pointed ends 27 at ly sturdy and rigid structure. It can be taken apart in simple fashion, as will be readily understood, and the 9 individual .parts can then be flattened for convenient shipping or storage.

In FIGS. ll-14, a modified structure is shown in which the pleats on the bin part extend downwardly from the floor rather than upwardly. Thus, it will be noted that the two-ply pleats extend downwardly from the floor They are provided with downwardly facing slots 52 which interengage with upwardly 51 of the bin structure.

facing slots 58 on the column section 53. The column is substantially like that of FIGS. 1-10, except that in this.

case the slots 58 have been formed at the corners rather than betweenthern. This is optional, however, and if desired the slots 58 can be arranged along the flat sides of the column rather than at the corners.

The base of the structure shown in FIG. 11 is substantially the same as that employed in connection with the floor stand of FIG. 1. The upstanding pleats 54 are provided with upwardly facing slots 60 which cooperate with downwardly directed slots at the lower end of the column part 53.

The nature and contour of the upper part of the bin of FIGS. 11-14 has no relationship to the features of this invention. This bin has been shown as a simple rectangular structure with upwardly slanting top edges 55 at opposite sides, but this is not essential, and any convenient or desired contour can be imparted to the bin. So far as the present invention is concerned, the structure is characterized by the provision of a series of two-ply pleats extending at right angles to and radially with re-,

spect to a horizontal floor, the pleats and the floor being formed of triangular sections defined by a blank substantially like that of FIG. 9.

While each of the embodiments illustrated has been shown with a column part of substantially square cross section, it will be understood that the column may optionally be of any polygonal cross-section, the pleats in the bin and in the base being correspondingly arranged.

It will be understood that many of the details herein described and shown may be modified in numerous re-.

spects without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knock-down cardboard structure defining a floor stand: separably interconnected parts comprising a base, a column, and a bin having an upstanding peripheral.

wall for holding merchandise, the column being a tube provided at its opposite ends with longitudinal slots, the

base and bin each comprising an element of initially flat foldable stock provided with fold lines defining a series of adjacent sections, said sections including pairs of tri-, I angular sections foldable to define two-ply pleats extend-1 column is of polygonal cross-section and the slots at its upper end are located between each pair of adjacent corners of the polygon, the pleats on the bin extending radi-.

ally from a line coincident with the central axis of said column.

3. A floor stand as defined in claim 1, in which said column is of polygonal cross-section and the slots at its upper end are located at the corners of the polygon, the pleats on the bin extending radially from a line coincident with the central axis of said column.

4. A floor stand as defined in claim 1, in which said column is of polygonal cross-section and the opening in said floor is of corresponding shape to allow the column end to pass snugly therethrough, the upper edge of the column being contoured to define attenuations at the cor.- ners of the polygon, the slots in said column end being located between each pair of adjacent attenuations.

5. A floor stand of knockdown character comprising separably interconnected parts constituting a merchandise holding bin, a column, and a base, the column being a tube having longitudinal slots formed at its upper and lower ends, said bin having a horizontal floor and a series of double-ply fins extending at right angles from said floor, and an upstanding peripheral wall, said base being formed of an initially flat element of foldable stock, said initially flat element having a lower cut edge, a series of 45 fold lines extending from equidistant points on said lower edge, a series of parallel fold lines extending from said spaced points on said lower edge, said parallel fold lines being perpendicular to said lower edge, and a zigzag edge opposite to said lower edge, said zigzag edge defining with said 45 fold lines a first and second set of 45 isosceles triangular segments, said'first set of adjacent triangular segments being floor-fornii-ng portions of the base and having their bases lying end to end along said lower edge, and said second set of triangular segments being arranged in pairs between adjacent triangular segments of said first set to form, when folded along said parallel fold lines, a series of two-ply fins extending from said floor and arranged radially with respect to the axis of said column, the lower slots on said column engaging the fins in said base, and the upper slots in said column engaging the fins on said bin, whereby said base supports said column and said column supports said bin in a secure and stable manner.

6. A floor stand as defined in claim 5 further comprising a series of angular slots formed in said second set of triangular sections for engagement with said lower slots in said column.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,103,286 7/1914 Hallett 248l74 2,895,696 7/ 1959 Mergent-haler 248l74 X 3,021,042 2/ 1962 Stumpf 229-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 789,030 l/ 1958 Great Britain. 891,964 3 1962 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A KNOCK-DOWN CARBOARD STRUCTURE DEFINING A FLOOR STAND; SEPARABLY INTERCONNECTED PARTS COMPRISING A BASE, A COLUMN, AND A BIN HAVING AN UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL WALL FOR HOLDING MERCHANDISE, THE COLUMN BEING A TUBE PROVIDED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS WITH LONGITUDINAL SLOTS, THE BASE AND BIN EACH COMPRISING AN ELEMENT OF INITIALLY FLAT FOLDABLE STOCK PROVIDED WITH FOLD LINES DEFINING A SERIES OF ADJACENT SECTIONS, SAID SECTIONS INCLUDING PAIRS OF TRIANGULAR SECTIONS FOLDABLE TO DEFINE TWO-PLY PLEATS EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE REMAINING SECTIONS, THE LATTER LYING IN A PLANE AND DEFINING A HORIZONTAL FLOOR, SAID PLEATS BEING PROVIDED WITH SLOTS LOCATED TO INTERENGAGE WITH THOSE IN SAID COLUMN SAID PLATES ON THE BIN EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE FLOOR TO FORM SEPARATE MERCHANDISE COMPARTMENTS, SAID FLOOR BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE UPPER END OF SAID COLUMN EXTENDS. 